Greg McElroy Sounds Off on Oregon Ducks' Quarterback Room

The Oregon Ducks prepare for 2026 fall camp with Dante Moore and Dylan Raiola leading their quarterback room.

Dec 28, 2019; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; ESPN commentator Greg McElroy looks on before the 2019 Peach Bowl college football playoff semifinal game between the LSU Tigers and the Oklahoma Sooners at Mercedes Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

The beginning of the Oregon Ducks’ offseason was headlined by storylines at the quarterback position. The Ducks’ 2025 starter, Dante Moore, shocked many fans and analysts by deciding to return to Oregon in 2026. Meanwhile, the Ducks saw movement in and out of the transfer portal, which included the high-profile addition of Dylan Raiola.

But with pressure mounting on coach Dan Lanning and the Ducks as a whole to finally crest the mountaintop and win a national championship in 2026, the strength of Oregon’s quarterback room has perhaps fallen under the radar.

Greg McElroy Praises Oregon Ducks’ Quarterbacks

Jan 6, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; ESPN analyst Greg McElroy talks to the media during media day before the College Football Playoff national championship game against the Michigan Wolverines at George R Brown Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

American football commentator and former NFL quarterback Greg McElroy hasn’t forgotten about the talent the Ducks yield at quarterback in 2026. McElroy called Moore and Raiola the best quarterback duo in the nation.

“He’s probably the best backup quarterback in the country, and there’s probably not a lot of debate to be had right there,” McElroy said about Raiola. “Every contender in America is about one injury away from a disaster, while Oregon is one injury away from a really good quarterback situation. That, I think, is how you build a room.”

Oct 25, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) arrives before the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Ducks similarly were set for the present and the future at quarterback in 2024, when transfer Dillon Gabriel came in as a starter, and Moore transferred before redshirting. Unlike in 2024, Raiola enters with much more experience than Moore did.

Moore played in just nine games and only started five as a true freshman at UCLA. Meanwhile, Raiola already has two years of starting experience under his belt but still elected to transfer to Oregon, even if it means serving as a one-year backup.

Dante Moore Enters With Big Expectations

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore celebrates after a reception during a youth football camp at Marist Catholic High School on June 20, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Moore comes off his first full season as a starter in 2025. He threw for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns on 71.8 percent competition, while also running for 156 yards and two touchdowns.

Even though he was the projected No. 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Moore cited development and championship ambitions as the reasoning behind his decision to return.

The Ducks haven’t had a Heisman Trophy winner since Marcus Mariota in 2014. But if Moore leads the program to a top seed heading into the postseason and displays that development with improved stats than what he accomplished in 2025, one of the team’s two standout quarterbacks could be hauling in hardware this season.

Dylan Raiola Expected to Play Backup

Fighting Ducks quarterback Dylan Raiola warms up during the Oregon Ducks annual spring game on April 25, 2026 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

McElroy pointed out that while Moore returns with Heisman buzz and championship chatter, the Ducks have another quarterback who’s already thrown for over 4,000 career yards in college. Raiola averaged a 69.1 percent completion with 4,819 passing yards and 31 touchdowns in two years with the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Whether it was Moore, Gabriel or former Oregon quarterback Bo Nix, every starting quarterback in the Lanning era has been a transfer and has gotten better statistically since arriving in Eugene. Nix and Gabriel were both Heisman finalists in their last season at Oregon – and Moore could do the same in 2026.

If history is any indication, Raiola could be on track for a similar type of development. Oregon fans saw him in action for the first time in April at Autzen Stadium for the Spring Game, where he flexed early connections with receivers like Evan Stewart. Raiola said after the Spring Game, “Everything that we do is going to impact not only this year, but years to come.”

In addition to Moore and Raiola, Lanning also returns 2025 backup Brock Thomas and former four-star recruit Akili Smith Jr.

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